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Recent News

Nationals reassigned LHP Matt Purke to minor league camp.

Purke, a third-round pick of the Nationals in 2011, had Tommy John surgery last May and will likely be sidelined until around midseason. The 24-year-old is no longer on the Nationals' 40-man roster. He owns a 5.00 ERA over 29 starts in pro ball. Mar 10 - 4:02 PM

Matt Purke (elbow) is hoping to throw off a mound within the next couple weeks.

Purke is currently limited to long-tossing as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. The injury-prone left-hander will be out until around midseason and is no longer on the Nats' 40-man roster. Mar 2 - 8:01 PM

Nationals re-signed LHP Matt Purke to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Purke was released by the Nationals late last week but didn't spend long on the open market. The former third-round pick has been bothered by arm issues for much of his professional career. He will try to get back on track this season in the Nats' system. Mon, Nov 17, 2014 03:55:00 PM

Purke was a premium talent but a medical red flag when the Nats took him in the third round of the 2011 draft. His injury issues have carried over into pro ball, as he had a shoulder operation shortly after being drafted and is currently working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Purke's stuff hasn't been the same since the shoulder procedure, but he's just 24 so someone will give the rehabbing southpaw a shot. Fri, Nov 14, 2014 09:04:00 AM

Depth Charts

Anthony Rendon will seek a third opinion from Dr. Steven Singleton regarding his knee injury.

It should be noted that Rendon, and not the team, has chosen to look for the third opinion. He saw Dr. James Andrews on Monday and a left MCL sprain was the confirmed diagnosis. Rendon has been dealing with this sprain since March 9 and is not expected to be ready for Opening Day. Yunel Escobar is tentatively slated to take his place at the hot corner, though Escobar has not played third since 2007.

Jayson Werth (shoulder) indicated that he wasn't sure when he would be able to return.

Werth saw his first action of the spring on Monday, going 1-for-2 in a minor league game. He's recovering from a January shoulder surgery to repair the AC joint in his right shoulder. While he said he felt good following the game, he also noted that he didn't know how things would progress moving forward. Uncertainty aside, all signs point toward Opening Day or shortly thereafter for the veteran.

Denard Span (abdomen) said Sunday that he isn't sure when he'll be cleared to play in rehab games.

Span is making steady progress from his second core muscle surgery -- he ran sprints and took swings with a fungo bat this past weekend in Florida -- but the Nationals have not yet mapped out a rehab assignment for him. Span probably won't be activated from the disabled list until sometime in early-to-mid May. Michael Taylor is expected to be Washington's primary center fielder in April.

McLouth's surgically-repaired right shoulder is still giving him issues when he throws. He had major surgery last August to repair a torn labrum, so it's not a surprise that he's encountered a hiccup along the way. Look for the Nationals to play it safe with McLouth and start him on the disabled list.

Drew Storen left Monday's Grapefruit League game due to a blister on his right foot.

That's a sigh of relief for the Nationals, who are dealing with all sorts of bumps and bruises at the moment. Storen, who is expected to serve as Nats' closer this season, should be fine by the time Opening Day rolls around.

Casey Janssen was diagnosed with right rotator cuff tendinitis after undergoing an MRI.

Janssen reported some discomfort after his most recent Grapefruit League appearance last week, so the Nats decided to get him checked out. It's not a long-term concern, but Nationals manager Matt Williams acknowledged that Opening Day is a question mark.

He's now set to throw three bullpen sessions per week over the next four weeks. "It's great. It's a good feeling because it's been over a year since I've been on the mound," Davis said. "It's a major milestone for me, but I understand that the work is not done. I'm going to keep working hard on the field." Davis likely won't be game-ready until around midseason. He can aim for a September call-up.